Prophesized destinies
by Jared
Summary: *new chapter* AU A prophesy foretold the coming of the three with powers beyond imagination. Who are the chosen ones? And when will they come?
1. The prophesy

Prophesy  
Jared  
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Disclaimer:  
The following characters belong to CLAMP. Philip Lynton is my make up though. Prophesy inspired by Slayers Try and A swiftly Tilting planet.  
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Foretold by the ancient prophesy,  
Rebirth of the ancient harmony,  
Come forth chosen ones,  
And fulfil your intended destiny!  
  
Eyes of sky, hair of gold,  
Powers greater than foretold.  
Golden phoenix, burning sun  
Powers of the ancient one.  
  
Gentle green shall be your eyes,  
Upon thee the power of healing lies.  
Silver falcon shining bright,  
Guided by the stars of night.  
  
Amber eyes shall be the last,  
Guardian of present and of past.  
To seek the Jaded wolf hidden within,  
Heed the sun's nocturnal twin.  
  
Combine these powers of three,  
And fulfil the ancient prophesy.  
There shall lie your awaited destiny,  
Ones of the ancient harmony.  
  
Hidden amidst the raging battle,  
Unseen miracles await thee.  
Fight not against heaven's will,  
And discover the true power of three.  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Who are the prophesized three? Coming up in the next chapter- "The burning sun" 


	2. The Burning Sun Part 1

The Burning sun ( Part 1)  
Jared  
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Disclaimer:  
The following characters belong to CLAMP and are only borrowed for the fanfic. However, the Himoto family belongs to me.  
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"Congratulations Sire, Her majesty has given birth to a young prince." The doctor said as he came out from the room.   
  
A smile lighted up the face of King Yamira Himoto. He ran eagerly into the room where his wife lay lying on the bed, cradling a bundle in her arms.  
  
"My lord" Queen Himoto Nariko breathed with pride. As the King approached, she held the baby out towards him. The king stretched out his arms and looked tenderly at his first newborn.   
  
The child had hair the colour of straw. Its tiny hands were balled up in fists and it yawned a little. King Himoto readjusted his grip slightly and gently caressed the tiny cheek with a forefinger. The infant turned a little, and cracked its eyelids open for a instant. To his delight, King Himoto found that the child bore eyes the colour of the sky. "My child." He crooned. "You shall be called Tayoshi, my little one."  
******  
The infant lay in the cradle, his blue eyes gazing around him inquisitively. Around him, people began to try to attract his attention. He looked around at the unfamiliar faces, trying in vain to seek one which was familiar. Suddenly, he smiled, raising his chubby arms up into the air, kicking his legs in glee.  
******  
"What do you mean the prince has gone missing?" The king thundered. "You were supposed to be watching him! How did he just disappear?" The king asked, furious.  
  
The nurses whimpered softly. How could they explain that they all fell unconscious and when they had awakened, the child had disappeared? None dared to answer the livid king's question.  
******  
Meanwhile, the missing prince was nestled in the warm embrace of the angel. She looked about guiltily. [ I'm sorry I have to do this. ] She said silently. [ But Tayoshi has to leave. He has a destiny to fufil … ]   
  
She looked back at the child who was looking up at her curiously. Suddenly, she was aware of the probing mind of the young child. [ You will become formidable when you learn to control your powers ] she said in her mind. The infant chortled gleefully as he received the message she had sent to him telepathically. Around them, colours swirled as they teleported towards the place where he would grow up…  
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Why did the angel have to separate Tayoshi from his parents? And who exactly is Tayoshi? Where are they going? Find out in the next chapter. 


	3. The Burning Sun Part 2

The Burning sun (part 2)  
  
Jared  
  
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Disclaimer:  
The following characters belong to CLAMP and are only borrowed for the fanfic. However, the Himoto family is my creation.  
  
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Hey all! Thank you all so much for the reviews. For those of you who wish to read about more action straight away instead of the introduction to the characters from the prophesy, you can read about the prophesized ones in action in any one of the following.  
1) The Circle   
2) Off-guard.   
3) Nokoru's secret (this is only telling you about the story from Nokoru's side before he met up with the rest.)   
  
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[ Why didn't I think of it before? ] King Himoto hit his head with his palm, amazed at his own stupidity. [ I can find Tayoshi by focusing on his aura! ] Eagerly, he closed his eyes and concentrated, trying to sense the familiar aura.  
  
Much to his despair, he could not sense Tayoshi's aura anywhere. [ What am I going to do? ]   
******  
The angel heaved a sigh of relief. They were standing in a glen in CLAMP Campus. [ For an instant there, I thought I failed to cloak the aura. I only wish there were some other way. But the one with the golden aura has to be separated from his family or he'll never gain strength. ]   
  
[Now my little one] she spoke to the child in her mind. [ It is time for the test.] She slowly unfolded her arms, and the infant hovered in the air in front of her, his shiny golden aura radiating from him like the sun.   
  
"Ancient powers burning bright,  
Come forth and show your might!  
Phoenix guardian I summon thee,  
Accept this child in front of me!"  
  
She suddenly chanted. There was a loud screech. The golden aura of the infant began to shimmer, slowly gathering to take the form of the guardian beast summoned by the angel. The angel waited anxiously.   
  
[ Will the phoenix accept him as the host? ] she wondered, her heart pounding painfully in her chest. The phoenix could only be summoned by the angels for it to choose its host. However, though powerful, the phoenix had a reputation for being a very selective guardian, and had rejected many infants as its host. One of the prophesized ones was supposed to be the host for the powerful but temperamental phoenix. Though the High Council of the Angels had believed that Tayoshi was one of the prophesized ones because of his aura, no one could be entirely certain, and the best judge would be the phoenix. Only when the phoenix accepted this fair- haired child could they be certain that he was the chosen one.  
The phoenix enveloped the child. The angel looked on, wondering if she were about to see the miracle that they had been waiting for. Without any warning, both child and bird took off into the sky. Together they flew, making complicated loops effortlessly, the child laughing with pleasure at its flight. The phoenix let loose a final screech, folded its wings protectively around the child, and began to fade away, entering the child the way a genie returned back into its lamp. The angel cheered. [ You're the one! You ARE the one after all. Oh little Tayoshi, we've found you at last! Now, it's time for you to be reborn. ] She said telepathically to the child.  
  
To her surprise, as suddenly as it had begun, the aura of the child shut off, like a bulb which had blown its fuse. The child plummeted downwards towards the hard ground below. She gave a gasp of horror, and using her powers, managed to catch the baby before it hit the ground. It had fallen fast asleep, exhausted with its adventures that day.  
  
Smiling a little, the angel cradled Tayoshi close, and teleported into the Rijichou's office. There, the Rijichou of CLAMP School waited for the angel to arrive. The angel smiled at the Rijichou, handed the baby to her, and faded away once more, leaving the Rijichou alone with the baby.  
  
The Rijichou looked down at the sleeping child in her arms. [ I will protect you ] she vowed silently. [ And teach you all that you must know. My child…I shall name you Nokoru. ] she said.   
  
Oblivious to her words, little Imonoyama Nokoru slept on.  
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The next chapter will introduce the second chosen child. 


	4. Stars of Night Part 1

The stars of night (Part 1)  
Jared  
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Disclaimer:  
The characters in the story belong to CLAMP and are only borrowed for this fanfic. However, Philip Lynton, The Himoto family and the Lynton family are my creation.  
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Author's note:  
Hey all. Sorry I took so long to update. But I had a little problem trying to think of Philip's origins. I couldn't decide if it would be better if Philip came from a dysfunctional family or if he was adopted. In the end, I settled for the one you see below. ^_^. Oh, by the way, for those of you who do not know, I probably would not be updating for the next couple of weeks, cause I have to prepare for my A levels. They're coming up in a couple of weeks, and I would be busy with the preparations, so I probably won't be updating. Sorry for the inconvenience.  
Anyway, thank you all for all the reviews, and hope you guys enjoy the story. ^_^.  
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Sarah Lynton smiled down at her month old baby. [ He has the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen…] She thought proudly. [ They are so…special. Like he is. ]   
  
Sarah hugged her child closer, fearful of the attack she knew would be coming. [ He'll be here. I know he will. But I won't let him take you away. Not now, not ever. ] She thought fiercely.  
  
Looking down at the sleeping baby, she found it almost hard to believe that the danger was so very close at hand.  
******  
The fire crackled as a bit of log broke off with a thud. Sarah awoke with a start, and immediately looked down at the child she still held protectively in her grasp. [ Thank God he's still here. ] She breathed, her expression soft.  
  
The baby had fine wisps of sand-coloured hair. Its closely shut lids masked the beautiful bottle green eyes within. The eyes were perhaps Philip's most prominent feature. Other than being unusual in colouring, the eyes were able to instil a sense of peace and tranquillity in all who searched deep in their depths. It was evident that the child was special. That was something that all have agreed upon. And that was one of the reasons why Sarah had fled with her child- to escape from HIM.  
  
Tears stung at her eyes. Try as she might, she was unable to keep her emotions in check. She had only been married to Will Lynton for a mere year, and yet in that short space of time, she had been battered by the man who was her husband in the eyes of the law. That is, she had been battered every so often until she was diagnosed pregnant. Then, he suddenly became sugary sweet towards her, giving in to all of her requests.   
  
Initially, Sarah had tried to believe that things were going to change for the better. She tried her very best to tell herself that things were going to be different now that she had a child. His child. However, this conviction she had was smashed that day when she had a house guest.  
  
It had been none other than a beautiful woman with vivid blued eyes and coal-coloured hair. She had spoken hurriedly, clearly afraid of running into Will.   
  
"I know you are going to have a baby. If you know what's good for you, if you want what's best for the baby, take him away from here. Now, while you still can." She had warned.   
  
Sarah knew who that woman was. Her name was Crystal. She had been Will's first wife. She had seen it in an old album that had been kept hidden in a cupboard. When she had confronted Will, he had beaten her up. Unwilling to invoke Will's wrath once again by asking, Sarah had employed a private detective to check up on the woman. What she had found out had shocked her beyond belief.  
  
Will had beat up his first wife almost as regularly as he had her. She too had borne him a child- Gloria. However, the child had died mysteriously when she was one. She had apparently been playing when a pile of old junk had fallen on top of her. She was rushed to the hospital, only to be found dead. At least, that was what had been stated at the inquest.   
  
Yet the detective had uncovered some evidence that the child had a record of being treated for burns and several other injuries prior to her death. Sarah had always suspected that Gloria had been abused by Will. Yet there was no real evidence to prove her theory. Until Crystal had come forward upon knowing of Sarah's check on her past, as well as Will's. And she had left behind that ominous warning, telling her that Gloria had died as a result of Will's cruelty.  
  
Sarah had been sceptical at first. However, the nightmares of Will hurting both her and her child persisted. She tried to quell those fears, but repression had made the fears become even stronger.   
  
After Philip had been born, the battering had continued. Sarah knew then that there was no hiding from the truth. She needed to feel safe, protected from this madman who had the power to hurt both her and her child. Divorce seemed to be the only key. Strangely enough, he agreed to the divorce. However, he had other things in mind, of which he had assumed would be given to him upon the separation.  
  
He had wanted the custody of the child. Yet Sarah had not wanted to give up her custody of the child because she knew of his cruel nature. Philip would not be happy with him. That she knew. [ How could anyone expect Philip to be happy living with … that…that monster? ] She thought fiercely. [ He would only ill-treat the boy, the way he ill-treated me. After all he's done, they are actually considering giving him the custody?! They must be blind! ]   
  
Hence, having lost faith in the judicial system, Sarah had fled into the night, taking with her the most precious thing she possessed – the green-eyed child she now held close in her arms.   
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The next chapter Stars of night Part 2 will continue with Sarah's new life with Philip. Will Sarah's fears come true? Will she be separated from Philip? What about Philip and his prophesized role? Find out in the next chapter: Stars of night part 2. 


	5. Stars of Night Part 2

The Stars of Night (Part 2)  
Jared  
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Disclaimer:  
The following characters belong to CLAMP and are only borrowed for the fanfic. However, the Lynton and Himoto families are my creation.  
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Author's note:  
Hey everyone ! Thank you all for your reviews. I really liked them, with the exception of the one unfortunate one. It will be addressed at the end of the fic. Flamers and flamers to be, kindly read the author's note that I have included at the bottom of this chapter. This is specially for you, Yingzing.  
  
Sorry I took so long to update. Had to devote more time to my studies. ^_^;; Exams coming up. Sorry.   
  
Anyway, here's the next chapter. Um…Timewarp, in case you were wondering, well, there's a reason why no cardcaptor characters have been introduced yet. That is because the only cardcaptor to star in this fic is Syaoran, and he's well, going to appear soon. In the next chapter. Promise. ^_^ Well, on with the chapter. ^_^  
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"The second child- the one who has the power to heal- we think he has surfaced. Go, you know what to do." The white cloaked man said to the angel.  
  
******  
  
Sarah felt a draught around her. She opened her eyes and looked around. [ My child! ] She realised in horror that Philip was no longer in her arms. "Philip! Philip!" she called desperately, hoping to hear an answering whimper. Or any sound at that, just proof that her son was still in the cottage.  
  
There was none.  
  
******  
  
The angel cradled the child close. As before, she slowly released her grip on the child. To her immense relief, the child too hovered in front of her. [ That's good. At least that's one sign that he has magical power. Otherwise he would have fallen the instant I released my hold on him. Maybe he is the one after all. ]  
  
Aloud she chanted an incantation.  
  
"Ancient powers flowing white,  
Come forth from the deepest night!  
Silver falcon hear my plea,  
Empower this child in front of me!"  
  
There was a burst of light. A huge silver falcon cut through the darkness, pulsating in time with the bluish silver aura that surrounded the boy. Like the phoenix had carefully inspected the child, the falcon slowly circled the child, keeping a sharp eye out for what it sought. The angel held her breath. [ Is he the right one? I think he is…but is he? ]  
  
To her immense delight, the falcon gave a triumphant screech, and entered the body of the child the way a genie enters its lamp. [ YES! ] she shouted. [ He's the one! That's two down, and one more to go. Then the prophesized ones shall gather, and it will be time to prepare for the battle. ] The angel thought to herself, watching the young one in pleasure.  
  
The young sandy-haired child was playing with his guardian. He flew over amidst the trees with his guardian beast, his eyes twinkling with pleasure. He opened and shut his tiny fist, and reached out towards the trees. Placing his minute palm on the rough bark of a tree, the little child conjured up wreaths of sweet-smelling flowers. The tree immediately began to flower. The withering plants around began to regain their life-force, and lifted their heads proudly towards the night sky.   
  
The angel smiled at this scene. However, she was far from surprised. [ He is the one who controls the life-forces after all. ] She thought. [ This is nothing more than child's play for him. And he is a child, anyway. ]   
  
She looked up at the smiling stars. Night was beginning to wane, and dawn would arrive soon. She called back the reluctant child, and gathered him up gently in her arms. "It is time for me to leave." She whispered to the woeful child. "And time for you to return. Your mother must be worried sick about you."   
  
The sandy-haired child merely blew a bubble and smiled when it popped. His beautiful green eyes were twinkling in merriment. Clearly, he did not think that his mother would be up yet. Moreover, his twinkling green eyes suggested that he would rather play a game than return to the cottage, where his mother half-throttled him in her attempt to keep him close. Nonetheless, the angel felt that she had better return him to his mother before she woke. [ Really, he's so playful. Looking after him is going to be a handful. ]   
  
She scooped up the reluctant child. Sensing that the angel was indeed going to bring him back, he began to wriggle. His tiny body twisted around as he sought a means of escape, but to no avail. The strong arms held him far too tightly. The angel smiled. She bent down and blew gently at the inquisitive face before her. A fine silvery mist shrouded the minute face.  
  
Instantly, the eyes began to close. However, the tiny child was evidently put off by being put to sleep using magic. He struggled to keep his eyes open, using his tiny hands to tug at his tiny lids. However, the magic that the angel had used was too strong for him to resist. Against his wishes, the eyes closed for the rest of the night.  
  
******  
  
"Who…who are you? And what are you doing with my son?!" Sarah demanded fiercely. The angel merely smiled her enigmatic smile, and blew gently at Sarah's astonished face. The angel watched as Sarah fell into a deep slumber. She waved her hand over the sleeping face.   
  
"When you wake, none of this would have happened. At least, not to you." She whispered softly, placing the sleeping infant in Sarah's protective embrace. Then, with a burst of light, the angel vanished.  
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Well, the next chapter is going to be on Syaoran at last! ^_^ Sorry it took so long. ^_^;;  
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FLAMERS AND FLAMERS TO BE, PLEASE READ  
  
And well, as I promised, this is to address the "kind" reviewer, Yingzing, who took the "trouble" to actually call my work CRAP and not leave an e-mail address behind for me to "explain" matters to her. Well, for all you guys who intend to flame, I suggest you read this too. For the rest of the readers, I think you can just skip this part. ^_^ Thanks a lot for reading so far. ^_^  
  
OK, I would be lying if I said I love flames. And this review was particularly distressing to me because of a variety of reasons.  
  
1)My work was called CRAP with no explanation whatsoever.   
  
2)The judgement came about from the very FIRST INTRODUCTORY chapter. For god's sake, it's an intro. Of course it's not going to be most exciting. That's what the climax is for! But given the language that was used, I expect you wouldn't even know anything about that since the author doesn't seem to know how to critique. If the person who left behind this review doesn't even know the basics, then keep your comments to yourself! I ain't keen to hear it.  
  
3) No address was left for me to contact this reviewer. If you have so much to say and feel so strongly about it that you have to use such strong words, you better have the courage to leave your contact information behind! Apart from showing that you haven't got the tiniest bit of decency, you have also proven yourself to be nothing more than a coward who dishes out criticisms without any proper reason.  
  
4) As a reader, you have a choice whether or not to read my fic. I never put a gun or knife or threatened you in any way to read my fic, or to review at that matter. So if you really hate it, don't read it! Strange how some people never realise the obvious. Ah well, I guess that's why these people really need to grow up!  
  
5)Just because you don't appreciate something doesn't mean it is crap.  
  
6)Don't abuse the power of the reviews. It was created to be used to help others improve. That means readers are expected to CRITIQUE and not CRITISISE.  
  
So all I have to say to you Yingzing and all you others who have the same idea in your head is that don't bother to try is. It just irritates me, puts me in a nasty mood, and you'll just get yourself cursed for a long time. So that's all I have to say. 


	6. The Jaded Wolf Part 1

Prophesized Destinies  
Chapter 5: The Jaded Wolf  
Jared  
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Disclaimer:  
The characters below belong to CLAMP and are only borrowed for the fanfic.  
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Author's note:  
Hi everyone. Thanks a lot for the reviews. Well, I'm not too sure about the name of Syaoran's father, so I just made it up. ^_^;; Sorry if it's confusing. Well, his given name (Chosen by me) is Yong which means courage but most people call him Li Yong, k?   
  
And I gave him a special power of his own. ^_^ His special power is that of second sight. So he kind of acts as a spirit medium, ok? Also, he's an immortal. To be precise, he was mortal until he gained immortality.   
  
He met Yelan after he gained immortality, and fell in love. Well, they had a son. So that makes Syaoran half mortal. The other 3 girls aren't his children at all. They were adopted by Yelan when her sister died. So Syaoran doesn't really have any sisters. They are his cousins actually. ^_^ I got the idea about Syaoran being half mortal from reading Ecila's fics. Special thanks to Ecila for letting me build upon the idea. ^_^ Thanks Ecila. ^_^   
  
Before I forget, in the previous chapter, I got a suggestion from Zenin. Thanks a lot Zenin. ^_^ It was suggested that I make the tests distinctive for each of the trio. I think it's a great idea! Only thing is…I'm out of ideas. ^_^;; The test for Syaoran will come in the next chapter. Ideas anyone? Please either tell me in the review or e-mail me at ccdfanfics@yahoo.co.uk ok? Thanks a lot. ^_^   
  
Also, thanks to Zenin, (Thanks so much!) I've got ideas on how I ought to change the tests for Nokoru and Philip. So I'll be making some changes to it right after I get the chapter on Syaoran done, k?  
  
Well, on with the story. Hope you like it.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~He paced nervously. [ What is taking them so long? Oh…I wish I could have gone in with her. ] He continued to pace. [ Why couldn't I go in? I won't touch anything. I won't disturb them. I just want to be with her! Arghhh. The heartless staff. If they mess up and hurt her, in anyway at all, I swear I will kill them. ]   
  
The nurse smiled at the nervous man. "Don't worry." She said. "It'll be fine. Doctor Gordon is the best in the hospital. It'll be a cinch."  
  
He nodded, worry etched in his face. [ How can I not worry? It's like asking me not to breathe! Not that I can breathe easily anyway. Oh…I do hope everything's fine. Will they just hurry up already? ]   
  
Suddenly, an image flashed in his mind. [ A wolf? ] He was startled. [ What are you trying to tell me? ]   
  
He followed the grey wolf in his mind. [ A wolf with green eyes? ] he was startled. [ What is this anyway? ] To his horror, he found that the hospital walls had vanished, and he had been transported miraculously into another dimension. The scent of pine trees was heavy in the air. [ Where am I? ]   
  
[ Listen to me Li Yong. Time is of essence. There is so little time, so you must pay careful attention. You will have a son. He who shall be blessed with the powers from the heavens above. His life will be different…separate from the rest. That is his destiny. His destiny, the child who is half- mortal half- immortal. You shall name him the little wolf- that is his totem. Teach him all the magic that the Li family possesses, and your family will be kept from danger. Disobey and the power shall destroy you all. ]  
  
"Wait!"   
  
"Do you need anything sir?" The nurse asked.   
  
[ I'm…back? In the hospital? But I was out in a forest seconds ago! What is this? ] he noticed the nurse looking quizzically at him. "Um…no. I'm sorry. I was just talking to myself." He muttered, embarrassed.  
  
A piercing wail sounded from behind the doors that he had kept vigil a great many hours. The doctor emerged from the room. "It's ok." He smiled at Li Yong. "You've got a son. Congratulations sir. And the mother's doing fine."  
  
"That's…That's GREAT!" Li Yong yelled. Around him, people stared. Li Yong flushed in embarrassment. "Can I see him?" he asked.  
  
"I'm afraid not. Not yet, anyway. Because he's premature, he needs to be put in the incubator now. But you can look at him from outside." Doctor Gordon informed him.   
  
"Thank you Doctor. Then can I visit my wife?"   
  
"Sure. Just don't take too long. She needs her rest." The doctor gave his approval.  
******  
Li Yong stopped dead in his tracks. [ This is definitely weird. I passed this corridor twice already…but now I'm walking through again. There's definitely something going on. ] He closed his eyes momentarily and concentrated hard.   
  
The world around him seemed to swim, his head throbbed painfully. Li Yong pressed his hand hard into the wall, only to find that the wall had vanished. Once more, he was drawn into another world.   
  
[ Courage my child. This is just the beginning. Behold the future that lies before you. ] A voice whispered.  
  
Li Yong watched in horror as he saw an image of himself and his wife trapped within a typhoon. A young child, no more than twelve, with messy brown hair and amber eyes was running towards them. [ NO! ] The child yelled. [ Father! Mother! ]   
  
Li Yong could only watch helplessly on as he saw his only son dash towards the typhoon in his attempt to rescue his parents. However, just as he reached the typhoon, he was hit by some kind of dark force.   
  
The sudden blast of energy took Syaoran by surprise. He sensed it coming as it came hurtling towards him, and he tried to dodge. But he leapt aside too late, and Li Yong watched in horror as he watched his son's deep red blood stain the ground.  
  
[ NO! Not Xiaolang. NO! ] He screamed. Tears streamed down his face. [ What have I done? Am I going to bring him harm? Answer me! ]   
  
[ I have shown you what I can. ] The sweet voice echoed in his head. [ It is up to you to do what you will. The future lies in your hands… ]   
  
With that, Li Yong felt the ground shift once more beneath his feet. He shut his eyes, and waited for the dizziness to pass. When he felt the firm ground beneath his feet once more, he opened his eyes. [ Whatever it was, it's gone now. I wonder what all this means. I need to talk to Yelan about this. ] he decided finally.  
******  
"Yelan, there's something I've got to tell you." Li Yong said seriously.  
  
Yelan nodded, her eyes fraught with worry. She listened patiently as Li Yong told her of his vision of the wolf, and of his vision of the future. When he finished, he looked at her face for some reaction. However, Yelan turned her face away, keeping in hidden from him.   
  
"Yelan?"  
  
"If…If we are going to…to cause him harm…" She gulped. There was a pause. "Then… then we better keep our distance from him." She said, her voice soft.  
  
"Yelan…"  
  
"There's nothing we can do. I…I don't want Xiaolang to get hurt because of me." Yelan whispered. "Let's hire a babysitter to look after him." She suggested, her eyes boring deep into his.  
  
Not trusting himself to speak, Li Yong nodded. [ I'm sorry Xiaolang. ] 


	7. The Jaded Wolf Part 2

Prophesized destinies  
Chapter 6: The Jaded Wolf (Part 2)  
Jared  
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Disclaimer:  
The following characters belong to CLAMP and are only borrowed for this fic. Li Yong and Xinhui are my own characters. Ideas were inspired by Ecila and Zenin.   
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Author's note:  
Thanks you guys for your reviews. Really appreciate them. Won't be updating till December cause of my exams. Sorry for the delay. ^_^;;  
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Li Yong felt uncomfortable. Someone, something was creeping about. He strained his ears. All he heard was a slight rustle. His body became taut, tense. [ What could they possibly want? ] he wondered. He could hear Yelan's soft breathing. [ Good, she's still asleep. ] he heaved a sigh of relief. Slowly, he crept out of bed, careful not to wake her.  
  
He closed his eyes and tried to see the intruder in his mind. He was determined to find the source of the sound. His senses tingled slightly, as always when he was getting a vision. [ No, it can't be! No! ] He dashed towards the nursery at the far end of the mansion where they had placed the crib. [ Please, don't let me be too late! Please! ] he pleaded, racing as fast as he could. He flung open the door, just in time to see an angel decked in white, reaching gently into the crib for Syaoran.   
  
"Stop!" he commanded. The angel raised her head, her eyes downcast. "I'm so sorry…I never would have wanted to do this… Forgive me…" she whispered.  
  
For an instant, Li Yong stood there, rooted to the spot. [ No, it can't be! Not her. Not her. Please…] He couldn't stand it anymore. "Please…don't…" he pleaded. "Anything but Syaoran. Please…"  
  
His pleas tore at her heart. Yet she was on a mission. A tear rolled down her cheek. Suddenly, Li Yong found himself surrounded by light. He was trapped inside a force field of some sort. He banged frantically on it. "Wait, please, Xinhui…wait! You can't do this. He might die! Please!" he watched helplessly on as she advanced. Another brilliant flash of light exploded around him and he slumped to the ground, unconscious.   
  
"I'm sorry…brother." She whispered before taking Syaoran. [ I just hope you're the one.]  
******  
They reached the clearing. "Now, child who bears the sign of the moon, it is time for the truth to be revealed. I only hope…" she trailed off, leaving her sentence unfinished. She released her hold on the child. Like the others, he was able to float effortlessly in the air. It was the sign of magic wielders. Those who possessed weak or no magic could not stay suspended. The fact that he stayed suspended was a good omen. At least, she hoped so. For her nephew's sake.  
  
"Ancient spirits, guiding light,  
I summon thee, guardian of light.  
Holy guardian hear my plea,  
Unveil this child's true destiny!"  
  
[ It's all up to you now…] She thought. [ I wonder which one it is. It ought to be a wolf, as the wolf guardian told Li Yong. But which one? Niju, the head of the wolves? Yira, the most scheming? Syle, the kind hearted one? Lok, the ancient wisdom? Or was it another? ] She wondered.   
  
The guardian beasts were aplenty in number. Each individual who possessed magic had a spiritual guardian. Each was different, and assumed a different form. There were those who took the forms of birds, like the phoenix, others creatures like unicorns. Some were land based, some were creatures of the sea, like dolphins. Each guardian drew its power from a specific element. The wolves drew theirs from the moon.  
  
Yet just as no two people were identical, no two guardians were identical. Though they might share the same form, their special abilities were as different as day is from night. Each guardian was to aid each child in their destiny. Upon being called upon, the guardian of the child would emerge.   
  
Should the child not prove worthy of the guardian, both child and guardian would share the same fate-instant death. For a child unworthy of a guardian would not survive the magic, just as the weak could not survive under harsh conditions. The realm of magic is harsh, as is the realm of life, where only the strong can survive.  
  
The guardian had appeared. It took the form of a wolf, as predicted. The angel gasped as she recognised it. It was none other than Serin, guardian of strength and endurance. [ This is not going to be easy. ] She thought. [ Serin is known for its swift, merciless attacks. Will Syaoran be worthy? ]   
  
As soon as he appeared, Serin lunged the levitating child. He had a firm hold of Syaoran with his teeth, and tried to pull him down towards the ground. Suddenly, lightning flashed, and struck at Serin. Serin released his grip and whimpered with pain. Yet it launched another attack at Syaoran.  
  
This time, however, rather than using physical attacks, Serin launched a magical one. He too possessed the ability to control the elements. He sent a bolt of lightning towards Syaoran, who rapidly countered with his own power. Both bolts of lightning met in mid-air, and lit up the dark night sky. Both pushed hard, unwilling to give in.   
  
Serin gritted his teeth. [ I cannot lose to a little child! I must win! ] With that, he poured even power into his attack. Slowly, Syaoran began to fall back. He could no longer maintain that intensity of attack. Serin's attack hit home.   
  
The angel watched the furious battle, her eyes glued to the scene. She longed to help Syaoran, but she knew that she could not. This was a battle Syaoran had to win on his own.   
  
Evidently, Syaoran's lack of experience and strength put him at a disadvantage. He was now on the receiving end of most of the attacks sent by Serin. Yet he simply refused to give up. He launched attack after attack, using water, lightning, fire, wind, earth…all his attacks failed to bring Serin down. Serin was just too strong for him. Or so it appeared.  
  
Serin, unknown to others, was beginning to tire. [ He is much stronger than I thought. Maybe he is worthy after all. But he is tiring faster than I am. I can still win yet. I will not lose to someone who does not deserve to defeat me! ]   
  
He concentrated on yet another attack. To his surprise, Syaoran suddenly vanished along with the gentle wind that blew. [ Darn, where did he go? I didn't see him leave. ] Turning around, he sought his target. Try as he might, he was unable to locate him. [ He must be around here somewhere… ]   
  
A jet of water suddenly shot at him. He dodged easily, only to feel the searing flame hit him from behind. It was a direct hit. He struggled to regain his balance, trying to pinpoint his assailant's position before he got attacked yet again. Before he even hit the ground, he was trapped in a sudden cyclone. [ It's that kid's doing. I know it is! ] he fumed as he tried to use his own power to break free. Lightning struck him while he was still vulnerable. All the elements attacked him mercilessly, the onslaught one after another.   
  
He finally managed to break free from the cyclone that held him captive, and he struggled to stand. However, he was far too weak to continue battle. He lay on the ground, not moving. [ I've lost…] he sighed. [ But I have found my charge worthy of my powers. ] He shone a brilliant green. The pulsating light surrounding him allowed him to communicate with Syaoran who now had finally appeared, having been thrown off the wind of which he had rode on to escape. He said " I accept you as my charge."  
  
Syaoran bowed his head low. Serin turned into a blinding light, and entered the body of his host, his charge. Together, they both glowed a luminous green, their aura now firmly entwined. Serin could be seen surrounding the boy. And Syaoran was firmly astride Serin. Then, Serin retired back into Syaoran. It had been a long day for the both of them, and both were exhausted after their battle.  
  
The angel scooped the sleeping Syaoran up carefully. It was time for him to return where he belonged.  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
The trio is now complete! What shall happen next? Find out in the next chapter. ^_^ Thanks for reading. ^_^ 


	8. Practice

Prophesized destinies  
Chapter 8: Practice   
Jared 

* * *

Disclaimer:  
CLAMP owns both the CCS and CCD characters, and the ideas of Syaoran's father belong to Ecila. Philip Lynton, Joe and Selem belong to me. The Council of Light is also my own idea, so please, ask if you want to borrow it. 

* * *

Author's note:  
The words in **bold** are for the phrases spoken in English. All other dialogue are assumed to be in Japanese. Thoughts are in _italics_ and // 

I haven't written in a while (almost 3 months) so I've gotten pretty rusty. Please, do bear with me if I'm not making sense. Flamers better get out now, or leave a real e-mail add behind, though constructive criticism is more than welcome. 

* * *

* * *

To most, Imonoyama Nokoru was no more than a carefree youngster. Rich, handsome, famous, intelligent… he seemed to have it all. Yet behind the cheerful mask that was known to most as Imonoyama Nokoru was a child that was known to the angels as the practitioner of the sun magic, wielder of the key of Heaven and Hell, one of the prophesized three. 

Unknown to all, Nokoru had been training secretly for the past 10 years, for the battle which would soon ensue- the battle where the prophesized three would battle hard for their survival, and their right to join the Council of Light, the most prestigious magical council for all magical practioners. 

Each night, a tiny figure would slip out of the huge Imonoyama mansion and stealthily proceed to the woods that lay some distance away. There, a cloaked figure awaited and a gruelling hour of practice lay ahead of the young child. 

Initially, the child could do little more than to lift tiny objects. This soon was followed by the creation of strong barriers and cloaking (the ability to prevent non-magic users from seeing the any use of magic), levitation... which lay the ground for the current task… teleportation. 

"Now close your eyes and concentrate. Visualise where you want to be, and then concentrate on moving yourself to that exact spot." Joe explained patiently again to his young apprentice, knowing full well of the latter's lack of focus during training. Unlike the rest of his duties, magic involved full concentration- something that the blond had problem maintaining. 

There was an awkward pause as he waited for his apprentice to teleport to the place behind him as directed. Not surprisingly, there was no success. Though the latter was smart, his lack of focus often resulted in his failure to master control over his gifts as quickly as others. This, he knew, was unfamiliar to his charge, since the young child had been blessed with many abilities and gifts, though a high level of concentration was certainly not amidst his plentiful gifts. 

A sudden flash of light cut through the dark night. There was a soft hissing sound, and the figure at the very centre of the ball of light disappeared from sight. Joe knew that he had successfully teleported, and turned around, expecting to see his trainee materialise behind him. He whirled around…only to be faced with an empty clearing. 

//_ Where am I? Why don't I recognise the place? Did I teleport here? But I'm pretty sure I was thinking of the grass patch. How on earth did I end up in a bedroom? _// He sat up, though his head protested strongly against the action. // _Ouch. I suppose I must have knocked it somehow. This just doesn't make sense! _// 

A shadow fell across the doorway, and the figure gleefully exclaimed, **"You're awake! Geez, you were out for so long I was almost certain that you were dead! Lucky for you that Selem assured me you were still alive, else you would be in a coffin right now." **The green eyes twinkled mischievously. 

Blue met green, and Nokoru replied with a jest of his own. **"Hai… such a pity it would be too, ne? Especially coming from a caring soul like yourself." **

Instantaneously, there was a burst of laughter, joined by another amused one. Anyone else would have thought that they were quite crazy. 

"So, you're Japanese aren't you?" Philip suddenly spoke in Japanese before commenting, "You speak pretty fluent English." 

A charming smile rested on the other's face. "Thank you very much for your praise. Uno… how did you deduce I was Japanese, anyway?" 

"Hee… it was Selem who told me," Philip admitted sheepishly. "I wouldn't have known otherwise." 

"Then please give this… Selem my thanks. I've got something that I've got to attend to." 

"Sure, just drop out of the sky and squash me like a pancake and then just 'have something to attend to'. After I saved your life too." A voice muttered. 

"Did you say something?" Nokoru was astonished at what he heard. To think Philip looked so polite. 

"Hee… that was Selem. He likes to surprise people by mind-speaking. Don't mind him. He's just feeling sorry for himself cause he isn't here to see what a great job I did. Hey, now that I've finally met you, how about you bring me to that campus of yours?" 

Nokoru started. "You … know who I am?" 

"Course I do. Didn't I tell you Selem just has the biggest mouth in the world? He's the best broadcasting system there is! All for free too." The slight smile was back. It was met with a dazzling one from his companion. 

"Please, do allow me the honour of showing you around campus. Now… if only I can just get this right… " Despite his cheerful banter, Philip could detect a barely audible note of worry in Nokoru's voice. 

Philip, who was often sensitive towards the feelings of others, tried to allay his new made friends fears. "Don't you worry about me. You may need my help more than you expected. I've got powers too, though not like yours. Still, it might come in handy." The tentative smile was back. "Let's try to get to the campus, shall we? Even if we don't, it'll be fun to see the rest of the world." 

A mischievous grin met his own. "You've got that right." 

// _What? Where? Oh no, I messed up again. Philip… where's Philip? _// A startled Nokoru began to realise that his green eyed friend was not with him. Panic bore him down like a tidal wave, and despite his great intelligence, all that came to mind was his companion's name. 

"Hey… you're awake. Thank gods for that. I was beginning to think I'd gotten rusty. Salem's going to love it if I told him I failed to heal you." He squeaked in a high-pitched voice for good measure, "Now see what I told you? You must always practice, practice and practice some more. Now, who told you that was the way to channel the life-forces? It must flow like the river, gentle like the wind. Not the heavy, smothering way you go about it. You're going to kill someone trying to save them." Both then burst into peals of laughter. 

"Does… does… he really speak like… that?" Nokoru asked incredulously between gasps. 

"Kind of. At least, that's what it sounds like to me. Dreary… boring… what have I missed? I'll fill you in later. Now, where exactly are we this time?" 

"Um… somewhere in the world?" 

"Smooth, so how do we get back from 'somewhere in the world'?" 

"We get a ticket back? Unless you want me to try teleporting again." 

Philip sighed. "Ok, just try not to land us in somewhere cold this time, ok?" 

"As you said, I'll try." 

"Nokoru-san!" 

"I'm sorry, I just couldn't resist it. Hey, do you think that kid over there could tell us where we are? Maybe a little sightseeing wouldn't hurt." 

A faint nod indicated the other's consent. Both approached an amber eyed boy who was walking rapidly towards the woods. Just as they were about to reach the clearing where they had last since the boy, a flash of lightning descended upon them. 

Instantaneously, both used their powers to stop the assault. Nokoru created a barrier around the both of them, whilst Philip managed to created a shield of trees and vines to deflect the lightning. 

"That was close," said Philip. Both withdrew their respective barriers when the attack had passed. "What in the world was that?" 

"That was me!" A hostile voice rang out through the darkening skies. "Who are you? Why are you here?" 

"We were here by … a little accident, entirely my fault. Please, do forgive us if we're intruding. We were just a little lost, and wanted to ask for directions." Nokoru said swiftly, bowing his head a little as he spoke, a sign of an apology. 

"As for who we are…" Nokoru continued. "I am Imonoyama Nokoru, and my friend here… " he indicated Philip, "is Philip Lynton." The other boy bobbed his head in acknowledgement of the introduction. "Now, I believe we do not know yet of your name?" There was a faint question in his voice. 

The boy stood opposite them and replied, "I am Li Syaoran. Welcome. I have been waiting for you. Wei has been told me much about the both of you. However, it is easy to assume another identity, and I believe it would be much better to just prove that you are who you claim to be." With that, he let loose yet another bolt of lighting. 

Once more, both attempted to block the attack, yet this time, their movements seemed to slow. Both were unable to block the attack and hence took a direct hit. 

// _He's serious. If we don't do something really soon, he's going to kill us! _// Nokoru realised with a start. He created a bubble-like shield and tried to pin Syaoran in place to prevent him from attacking them. This was joined by Philip's attempts to use the vines to imprison him. However, Syaoran expanded his energy and burst forth from the energy bubble that had held him prisoner temporarily. He leapt into the air with ease, knowing full well that if he stayed still, he would be imprisoned once more and he was not confident of breaking loose a second time. 

However, as he leapt, a vine caught him around the ankle, swiftly followed by yet another which caught him around the wrists. Struggling frantically, Syaoran tried to break free from the vice-like grip, but failed. 

All of a sudden, Philip felt himself rooted to the spot. // _What on earth?_ // He noticed Syaoran's smirk as he broke free from his grip and understood. //_ He must have done something… wait! Could he be the one Selem was telling me about? The one who has the power to control time? What was it that Selem had said? Able to freeze things into their positions, and can speed up or slow time at his will. It must be him! How one earth am I going to fight time? Unless… I slow down his healing process- but he must be hurt to begin with! Look at him, he's totally unscathed! Oh why couldn't I have another power?_ // He moaned inwardly. 

Nokoru too had come to the same conclusion. //_ His powers seem to be to change the speed of things by altering the speed of time. But my powers are unaffected by time, unlike Philip's. Which means… _// 

He took a lot at Philip, who was rooted to the spot like himself, and knew at once that he had no choice. // _I'm really sorry to have to do this to you… but I have to stop you somehow! _// Nokoru thought wryly. 

He cast his mind deep into the Syaoran's, hearing the loud screech of pain deep inside his mind. Once more he probed, despite his reluctance to cause the other any more pain than was necessary. //_ Please_ // he pleaded. // _Don't fight us anymore. I… don't want to hurt you. Don't make me do this. Please… _// 

Suddenly, the force that held him rooted to the spot was removed. Instantly, Nokoru released his hold on the other's mind, glad that he no longer had to inflict pain on the other. 

Syaoran stood up weakly, and gave them a wry smile. The prophesized three had finally met. 

* * *

Well, here's the next part. I really couldn't think of a plausible way for them to meet. This was the best I could come up with. It was either this or a dream, but that one turned out pretty badly. Not that this one's fantastic, but by comparision, it's really tons better. 

I'll get round to re-writing some of the other chapters sometime. ^_^;; Sorry about that. Feeling very lazy now. :S But I'll try, honest. 

Well, I hope you liked it. 


	9. The Three Keys

Prophesized destinies  
Chapter 9: The Three Keys  
Jared 

* * *

Disclaimer:  
The characters in this chapter belong entirely to me, though the ideas were influenced by Lady Kazune Kikenshi's Benevolent Malice and a little Harry Potter. ^_^ 

* * *

Author's note:  
As a result of my long absence, I'm posting up 2 chapters as my way of apologising. Sorry for the delay, but I had a little problem writing it. ^_^;; Hope you enjoy it. ^_^ 

* * *

* * *

There was a slight rumbling… a brilliant light lit up the interior of the cavern, revealing three keys encased by a bubble-like magical barrier. Each of the keys were pulsating with a different coloured light- one gold, one white, and the third green. Around the barrier, demons were frantically running around, doing all they could to try to contain the keys which struggled to burst free from their magical prison; failure would not be tolerated, and none of them wished to test the patience of their superiors. 

"Quick, enhance the barrier! Increase power transfusion to the barrier!" 

"Hurry, report this to the High Council!" 

Orders were being flung across the cavern in their attempts to restrain the keys that were rapidly gaining strength. Yet these attempts proved futile, as the glowing keys burst free of the barrier, and flew out of the cavern in one accord. After the bustle that had resulted from their mad race against time, the cavern was eerily silent as the lesser demons cowered in fear of the punishment that they knew without a doubt would be meted out. 

* * * * * *

"Your Greatnesses… the keys… the keys have… have broken free and disappeared." The nervous demon stammered, his scaly hands by his side were clenched in fear, awaiting for the recrimination that he knew would come. Incompetence was not acceptable to _any_ of the demons, let alone Diavolo, the most feared demon of all. 

As expected, a hooded figure leapt up and barked out the single question. "What happened?! You better have a good explanation for this." His voice was deceptively calm, yet the demon had seen many of his kind brutally tortured to death by this particular hooded figure to be deceived- he was in deep trouble, and he knew it. 

* * * * * *

"This is not good. The keys that we have fought so hard to obtain, even going to the extent of killing those foolish key-bearers to possess are now gone. This can only mean one thing- the prophesized ones have risen again." 

Nods around the table showed that all shared this sentiment. Glowing red eyes were focused on the single speaker who was still standing. The speaker was none other than Diavolo, the most feared demon of the Realm of Evil. None who defied him ever survived. 

Apart from being the most vicious of all the demons, Diavolo was also the most powerful. His powers surpassed that of the rest of the High Council; it was rumoured that he had destroyed many angels in their attempt to reclaim the heavens as their own. It was also he who had defeated three of the most powerful angels of their time- Fenice, Falk, and Lupo. However, while he had tried to drain them of their power after their defeat, he had failed miserably. Instead, each had disappeared in a flash of light, leaving only a key in their place- keys that shimmered with great power- their power. 

While this power could not be tapped into by the demons, they were still regarded as rare treasures and heavily guarded since they helped to ensure that the other side was not allowed access to it, thereby weakening their enemy because of this power denied to them. No matter what the cost, the keys had to be retrieved, and they were all too aware of this fact. 

* * * * * *

Diavolo stormed down the dim hallway from the council room back to his own abode. //_ The idiots! How did they even manage to let the keys get away? The incompetent fools.// _ His raging thoughts only reflected a fraction of his anger. //_ After all the trouble that I took to overpower them, it all comes to this. I refuse to lose! Not after all that trouble.... _// His thoughts began to wonder back to that particular battle where he had defeated them. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
1, 012 years ago  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_ A blast of red flames struck the vulnerable Lupo just seconds before his desperate attack would land upon the unwounded Diavolo. The impact from the blast sent him flying in an arc high in the sky before he landed on the ground next to the already fallen Fenice with a loud thud. _

Instantaneously, his good friend, Falk, rushed to his side and tried to stem the bleeding. To his horror, as soon as he tried to heal the wound, he felt the most excruciating pain in his abdomen and an identical wound began to form on his own torso. "Wha..." he managed to splutter before he keeled over. 

A satisfied Diavolo merely cackled and said, "Did you honestly think that I hadn't guessed you'd try that one? So I designed that specially for you. Before you can heal someone, you have to first absorb the person's pain and injury, causing you to be exceedingly vulnerable during that process. Should I create a wound that constantly inflicts pain upon its victim, both you and my victim would be completely helpless. What you had no idea of was that when I lashed out at your dear buddy, I continued to attack him even whilst you tried to heal him. That, needless to say, was enough to have you both at my mercy now." The cruel demon laughed hysterically. "Now... time for me to do what I have waited for so long. Dinner time." 

Knowing of his intention to absorb his powers for himself, Falk summoned every ounce of his energy and transformed himself into a key as the council had prophesized. ** When the time is right, ** they had told him, ** all your powers will be unleashed by the ones who will destroy this evil for once and for all. ** A loud curse was heard as his powers, as well as those of his friends, were sealed away till the right time had come. 

~~~~~~~~  
PRESENT  
~~~~~~~~

//_ I won't let you succeed. Darkness will reign supreme! _ // 


	10. The Runaways

Prophesized Destinies  
Chapter 10: The Runaways  
Jared 

* * *

Disclaimer:  
All the characters in this chapter are the result of my imagination, though they were inspired by Lady Kazune Kikenshi's Benevolent Malice and Harry Potter. The implied characters in the story belong to CLAMP, with the exception of Philip Lynton, who is also my creation. Special thanks go out to Ecila for allowing me to use her idea on Syaoran's half-mortal parentage. 

* * *

The keys rocketed into the dark, midnight blue sky. Each pulsated with a different colour, and headed for a slightly different direction. Yet unbeknownst to most, the keys had a special ability- the ability to communicate telepathically with each other. The different speeds between each flash and the intensity of a flash were like distinct words. Each had its own meaning. 

//_ We must hurry- time is of essence. It won't take them long to give chase. Should we fail to reach our destination in time, we will be in trouble. //_ Falk said urgently to the other two. Faint flashes indicated that his friends understood the severity of the situation, though it must be noted that one showed a slight annoyance at being told what to do- the slight flicker was enough to show his dissatisfaction. Yet Falk was used to this, for Fenice had always been trying to challenge his power. 

Fenice had always been ambitious and felt that he was more worthy of the leadership than Falk- after all, he had the protection of a legendary beast. However, despite their little squabbles, Falk and Fenice had always been close. Perhaps it was because both of them had forged a strong bond through their love for the wide, open skies that they roamed together, or the secrets that they had shared through centuries of being partners. Whatever the case, Falk had always known that despite Fenice's displeasure at having to be subordinate to him, he would always find a friend in Fenice. 

//_ I'm under attack! //_ Falk heard Lupo scream through their mental link. Had the situation not been so dire, Falk would probably have spent some time giving Lupo a lecture on the consequences of screaming through the link. However, given the severity of the situation, Falk merely sent out a huge energy blast towards the direction where he knew Lupo was headed. Whilst the blast would be a dead giveaway on his own location, he knew that that same blast would help to channel some of his power temporarily to Lupo to allow him to out distant his pursuers. After all, Lupo had never been good at flying, and often was at a great disadvantage in the air, since he had a fear of heights. However, this secret was carefully guarded, and no one apart from the members of the High Council and Falk and Fenice knew of his weakness since Lupo had not wanted this weakness of his to be known. 

Meanwhile, Lupo had managed to keep the black rings that had shot after him at bay by creating rifts in time that caused them to be stuck temporarily in space. However, doing so took a lot of energy out of him and weakened the strength of his attack, hence allowing the black rings to take advantage of this weakness to unite and break free from that time rift. Desperate, Lupo had called out for help as he tried his best to dodge the zooming rings that tried to corner him. 

Just as Lupo felt that he could not hold out any longer, he was aware of a great blast of energy that raced towards him. Quickly, he jumped straight into the path of the blast and absorbed as much of the energy as he could. Then, with renewed vigour, he raced towards the mansion in London where he knew he would be protected. 

* * * * * *

When Fenice heard Lupo's plea for help, he had cursed silently. Much as he longed to help, he had his own hands tied- a whole array of black rings were badgering him and it was all he could do to evade capture. 

Like Lupo, Fenice had used his gift to keep them at bay. Fortunately for him, he was able to cast barriers with ease and used that to keep the rings away from him. However, the constant badgering meant that he had to struggle to keep his barriers intact or he would be unable to avoid capture, for each ring that battered against his barrier weakened it ever so slightly, and it was through sheer willpower that he was able to maintain the barrier despite the constant pounding caused by the persistent rings. 

Despite his irritation, Fenice knew that he was powerless to help anyone else, and his best chance of making it to his destination without being taken prisoner would be to focus on keeping his enemies away and heading as quickly as he could for Hong Kong where he would be able to get help from the one he sought. 

* * * * * *

If Falk could have screamed in exasperation, he would have done so. Unlike Lupo and Fenice, Falk was unable to use his gift to get those exasperating rings off his back, for Falk's special ability lay in his ability to heal any wound. While this was an invaluable gift in battle, it proved to be useless here, for unless he had a wish to be captured, he would stay as far away as possible, rather than to try to heal the rings, which probably could not be injured anyway, since they were inanimate objects which were able to cause him so much trouble because of the vast amounts of power that had been given to them. 

Much as he longed to call for help, Falk knew that this would not be wise. He had not heard from Fenice since they had separated, and this probably meant that Fenice himself was in difficulties. A plea for help may prove fatal as this had the potential to distract him long enough to be captured. Asking Lupo for help was out of the question, seeing how Lupo had made a call for help. Falk knew Lupo well enough to know that the youngest of the three had to be floundering to ask for help, since the shy Lupo had always been wary of making himself a bother. No, it was up to him to get rid of those rings on his own. However, well aware of the fact that he was more agile than the rings, he used it to his advantage, dodging and swerving, trying to find any form of cover which would allow him to buy some time to evade capture until he could reach the fast approaching city of Tokyo. 

A black ring whizzed past as he dodged at the last moment. He watched as he connected with yet another one and both exploded upon impact. Pleased with the results, he began to plan his path to cause collisions amongst the rings which had a far longer reaction time. A few minutes later, he triumphantly flew above the twinkling lights of the city of Tokyo as the last of the rings exploded. 

* * *

For those of you are unaware, this is who's pairing up with who: 

~ Falk with Nokoru  
~Fenice with Syaoran  
~Lupe with Philip 


End file.
